I need you
by Daniel Wesley Rydell
Summary: After Natalie and and Jeremy's breakup things go awry.


**I need You  
**A Sports Night fanfic written by   
DJ Carter  
_Between episodes: "April is the Cruelest Month" (142) and "La Forza Del Destino"(144)_

  
Author's notes: I want to commend Fanfiction.net's decision on banning at NC-17 fanfics, as this removed a lot of the slash/yaio from the server. However, there are still a few of them that slipped through the cracks with a PG-13 rating. I hope to see Fanfiction.net ban these types of stories.  
---  
"Two minutes to air, Dan Rydell, Casey McCall, please report to the studio," a voice, slightly irritated, said over the P.A.  
  
The two in question were actually having problems of their own.  
  
"Dan, that is nuts and you know it!" Casey told him  
  
"You know it isn't!" Dan told him angrily.  
  
"What isn't?" Natalie asked walking in.  
  
"My idea!" Danny told her.  
  
"What idea?" Natalie asked.  
  
"He has this nutcase idea that..." Casey started then was interrupted by Dana, walking in.  
  
"I'm sure it's stupid and probably moronic, but you do realize that we have a show in now one minute? Usually that means we have to you know, start the show?" Dana told them, and stormed out.  
  
"Bad day, I'd say," Dan told the two remaining.  
  
"Usually that means someone has come up with a bad idea and it has spread around the office and she's gotten wind of it," Casey said.  
  
"Casey?" Dan, stood up and walked towards the door, then turned towards Casey.  
  
"Yeah Dan?"  
  
"Shut up."  
---  
"Tune in tomorrow to hear the latest on the Red Wings, and whatever else comes our way. You've been watching Sports Night on CSC, with me Dan Rydell, and Casey McCall. Good night," Dan said to the camera.  
  
"We're off. Good show people!" Dana said enthusiastically over the intercom.  
  
Natalie nodded at Dana, and started to walk out.  
  
"Natalie?" Jeremy said starting to walk along side of her.  
  
"No," Natalie said, cutting him off and speeding ahead of him.  
  
"Wait! I.. forget it..." Jeremy said dejectedly, then walked away.  
---  
"Hey Jeremy! What's happening?" Dan said as they walked into the CSC building.  
  
"Wings lost big time," Jeremy told him.  
  
"I meant life in general... ahh forget it," Dan told him, and started walking away.  
  
"... Damn! I forgot!" Jeremy said suddenly and started towards the door.  
  
"What?" Casey said bumping into him.  
  
"I need to make a deposit at the bank before it closes!" Jeremy said rushing past him out of the building.  
  
"Danny, he seem a bit distracted to you? He never forgets anything!" Casey asked Dan.  
  
"I guess he's taking breaking up with Natalie harder than he lets on," was all that Dan could reply with.  
---  
"Come on hurry up.. I'm going to be late!" Jeremy muttered as he finally made it to the counter.  
  
Suddenly, as he looked around, he saw Natalie behind him for the first time.  
  
"Natalie..!" He started.  
  
"Get going Jeremy! If you don't hurry we'll both be late!" She told him.  
  
Jeremy nodded, and started his transaction.  
  
Suddenly the doors blasted open.  
  
"Everyone on the ground! NOW!" a masked person yelled at everyone in the bank.  
  
The people inside quickly flung themselves to the floor.  
  
"Don't touch that alarm, if you know what's good for you!" another masked person yelled.  
  
Jeremy huddled up against the wall of the counter as Natalie flew next to him.  
  
"Is this what I think it is?" Natalie asked Jeremy quietly.  
  
"If you think its a bank robbery than you are correct..." Jeremy responded but then was cut off by one of the armed robbers walking towards them.  
  
"You got somethin' to say?!" he asked Natalie.  
  
"N-n-n-n-n-n-no... No I don't..." She said, stuttering.  
  
"Then maybe you better SHUT UP!" he yelled as he pointed the gun, a shotgun, in her face.  
  
Natalie looked at the gun with fear, and suddenly couldn't hold back emotions anymore. She silently started crying.  
---  
Minutes turned to an hour as the robbers continued to hold them in the lobby.  
  
Natalie kept crying into her arms after almost an hour. Jeremy had tried to console her, but to no avail. The robbers would one by one look over at them, irritated as she was the only one constantly making noise in the whole bank.  
  
"Hey you!" One of them finally yelled at Natalie, who couldn't respond through her tears.  
  
"You listen to me when I'm talking to you!" he yelled again, still no response.  
  
Finally he stormed up.  
  
"Shut up!" He spat in her face.  
  
"Can't you see she's scared? We all are!" Jeremy finally asked.  
  
"You shut up too!" Another of the armed men yelled.  
  
Natalie tried to stop crying as the man walked away, but she couldn't.  
  
"That's enough out of you!" the man yelled, and swung around facing her, then aimed his gun at her, and shot. The bullet flew towards her and landed in her shoulder.  
  
Natalie buckled under the shot from the robber's pistol, then fell silent.  
  
"Natalie!" Jeremy yelled out, instinctively reaching out to hold her.  
  
"Shut up or you'll be just like her," The robber told him, then stepped away.  
  
"Natalie... no..." Jeremy thought as he pulled her to him.  
  
He ripped off the sleeve of his shirt, and pressed it against her shoulder, trying to stop the blood loss.  
  
"Don't die on me Natalie... I can't lose you like this... I never got to say I was sorry..." he slowly and quietly told her. Using his free hand, he held her close, feeling her faint heartbeat.  
  
"She's going to die if we aren't helped soon..." He thought.  
  
Suddenly the robber who had just shot Natalie walked up to Jeremy.  
  
"What's your name?" He asked.  
  
"Jeremy Goodwin," he told him, hate edging his voice.  
  
"Jeremy Goodwin, what do you do?" He asked again.  
  
"I work at Sports Night in the CSC building," He responded, still with the hate in his voice.  
  
"Really? Maybe you could do me a favor then. Call up to your buddies at Sports Night, and tell them that there is a hostage situation here," the robber told him.  
  
"Why should I? Why don't you just call the police and tell them. In fact, why would they be interested in you?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"Because I assume you value her life!" he said as he aimed his gun directly at Natalie's forehead.  
  
"Fine..." Jeremy said as he slowly set her next to the wall of the counter, then to the phone he was directed to.  
  
"And no funny business..." the robber said, reloading his gun.  
---  
"Okay, the four o'clock rundown is in five minutes, where is Natalie?" Dana asked, pacing the conference room.  
  
"For that matter, where's Jeremy?" Casey asked.  
  
"Well, you know we saw Jeremy at the door, he said he forgot to go to the bank," Dan said.  
  
"The bank? He forgot?" Dana asked.  
  
"The bank. He forgot," Casey commented.  
  
"He never forgets anything!" Dana remarked.  
  
"He forgot," Casey repeated.  
  
"Maybe the break-up with Natalie is affecting him more than I thought," Dana said.  
  
Dan and Casey chuckled.  
  
"What's so funny?" Dana asked.  
  
"Nothing at all," Dan said.  
  
Suddenly, Isaac walked in.   
  
"I thought the rundown started now, what's the hold up?" He asked, taking a seat.  
  
"Natalie and Jeremy aren't here yet," Dana told him.  
  
"Where are Natalie and Jeremy then?" Isaac asked.  
  
"We don't know. Jeremy said he had to go to the bank because he forgot to do something," Dan told him.  
  
"Jeremy? The bank? He forgot?" Isaac asked.  
  
Dan, Casey and Dana chuckled.  
  
"What's so funny?" Isaac asked.  
  
"Nothing at all," Dana told him.  
  
"Well, did you all hear the news?" Isaac finally asked.  
  
"Which would be?" Dan asked.  
  
"First Bank's being held up. Has been for about two hours or so," He told them.  
  
"Wait... First Bank?" Dana asked.  
  
"Isn't that where Jeremy banks?" Casey asked.  
  
Suddenly as these two facts were revealed, an ominous silence came over the room.  
  
"You don't think..." Dana asked.  
  
As if in response, Isaac turned on the TV.  
  
"This is Tom Walker with the Channel 10 news. We've been standing outside the First Bank in downtown for the last half hour. We recently learned from the New York Police Department that it is being held up. While few facts are known, we do know that there is five masked gunmen inside, along with twenty or so hostages. We do know that one woman has been shot inside, but we have no information as to her condition, or the reasoning for this hold up. We will keep you updated as details become available. Back to you in the Studio," The newsman said, and then Isaac turned off the TV.  
  
Suddenly the silence that filled the room was broken again by someone walking into the room. It was one of the many people who worked in the studio.  
  
"Dana, there's a call for you on line one. It's from Jeremy. He sounds desperate," the person said.  
  
"I'll get it in here. Thanks," Dana said. She crossed the small conference room in large strides, and picked up the phone and put it on speaker phone.  
  
"Jeremy?" She asked.  
  
"Dana?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"Yeah it's me. What's going on? Where are you?" She asked.  
  
"I'm in First Bank. It's being held up by a couple of thugs. They told me to call you, but I'm not sure why," Jeremy started.  
  
"What about the woman who was shot? Is she all right?" Dan asked, speaking up so Jeremy could hear.  
  
"The..." Jeremy started but then stopped.  
  
"What is it Jeremy?" Casey asked him.  
  
"Natalie..." Jeremy said quietly.  
  
"Oh my God..." Dan said.  
  
"How is she?" Isaac asked.  
  
"Not good, she got hit in the shoulder. I've been trying to slow the bleeding but it's not working. She's going to die if we don't get her help soon..." Jeremy trailed off again.  
  
"Don't worry Jeremy, they'll..." Casey started, then suddenly a crash rang over the phone, then with yelling, and gunshots  
  
"Jeremy, what's going on?" Dana asked, as suddenly the phone was hung up.  
  
Isaac turned on the TV again.  
  
"This is Tom Walker on location at the First Bank, where a police team has just broke into the bank. It appears that the situation is well under control. People are coming out of the bank at a slow even pace.. Hold on!" the newsperson said as the camera zoomed in on the door.  
  
Jeremy stood in the doorway, somehow holding Natalie and applying pressure to slow blood flow. Three officers ran over to him, followed by paramedics with a stretcher. They took her from his arms, and quickly took her to an ambulance. Jeremy followed and got in the ambulance with her.  
  
Dana finally hung up the phone, and turned towards the others.  
  
"I think our rundown can wait..." She told them.  
  
"Agreed," the others told her, as they all stood up and headed towards the door.  
---  
"Jeremy!" Casey said as they walked into the ER waiting room.  
  
"Casey, Dana!" He said as he stood up to greet them.  
  
They all sat down in a unoccupied section of chairs.  
  
"How's Natalie?" Dana asked.  
  
"They told me she was in stable condition, but still unconscious," Jeremy told her as he put his face in his hand.  
  
"Looks like you aren't doing too hot yourself," Isaac said.  
  
"You realize this wouldn't have happened to her if I hadn't broken up with her?" Jeremy asked.  
  
"I don't know about..." Dan started.  
  
"Stop right there Danny. Do you know why they shot her? Because she was crying! Crying for Pete's sake!" Jeremy told him.  
  
"Just because she was crying doesn't mean..." Dana started but stopped as a doctor walked in.  
  
"Is there a Jeremy Goodwin in here?" the doctor asked.  
  
Jeremy stood up as his name was called.  
  
"Your friend is awake, and she wants to talk to you," the doctor told him, motioning for Jeremy to follow.  
---  
Jeremy walked in to the room Natalie had been given.  
  
"Jeremy... I heard you saved my life..." She said slowly.  
  
"I just stopped the blood flow, that's all," He responded.  
  
"They said if I had lost too much more blood, I would have died. You did save my life," she told him.  
  
"I'm sorry Natalie, it's my fault..." He started to tell her.  
  
"How so? I don't blame you at all," Natalie responded.  
  
Jeremy walked towards the bed and sat down in a chair.  
  
"I feel responsible... I know that you were crying because of all the stress that was thrown on your lap at once. I probably didn't help that much. I'm sorry," Jeremy said.  
  
"Jeremy, I should say the same. I pushed you off the other night, in fact, I have been for a while," She said.  
  
"I don't blame you," He said.  
  
"Jeremy... would you give me one more chance? You don't need to be hip, or with it. You just need to be... you," She asked.  
  
Silence flooded the room like a storm as Jeremy looked away.  
  
Then Jeremy turned towards her once again.  
  
"I need you Natalie. If you're willing to give me another chance, I'll take it," He said.  
  
"All right, but promise me one thing," She said as she bent towards him.  
  
"What is that?" He asked.  
  
"Don't ever let me go into a bank where I'll get shot again ok? It hurt," She said, smiling lightly as she kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I'll try," He said, nodding.  
---  
It took a few weeks for Natalie to fully recover from her gunshot wound, and the fluid loss from the event.  
  
The doctors commented that it was one of the fastest healings they had ever seen, and released her with their blessing.  
---  
"One minute to live! Dan, Casey, NOW would be a good time for you to show up in the studio!" Dana's irritated voice came over the P.A.  
  
Meanwhile the two sat in their office with problems of their own.  
  
"Casey, this is really embarrassing. We can't go on the air like this!" Dan said, wearing his suit jacket with no shirt underneath.  
  
"Well, I think we have one minute to find shirts, run out there, and start the show," Casey told him.  
  
"Ok, what seems to be the problem here?!" Dana said, storming in.  
  
"It isn't our fault this time! Someone took our shirts!" Dan told her.  
  
"Well, maybe if your idea that we should try out for the Sports Figure of the year award hadn't been spread around, maybe we would still have the shirts!" Casey muttered.  
  
"... Somebody looking for these?" A voice from outside the door asked.  
  
"Wha?" Dana said turning around, watching as Natalie brought in the two shirts, neatly pressed and cleaned.  
  
"Natalie! Come on, we got less than thirty seconds to live!" Dan said as he grabbed both shirts, tossed Casey his shirt, and quickly put his on and buttoned it, and ran out the door, followed by Casey, carrying both his jacket and Dan's.  
  
"Nice job Natalie. Was it your intention to mess up their timing, and make them rush?" Dana asked as the two walked back to the studio.  
  
"Actually, a combination of me and Jeremy came up with this," Natalie said, smiling devilishly.  
  
"Good one," Dana said as they both took their seats.  
  
"In three... two... one!"  
  
"I'm Dan Rydell, and next to me is Casey McCall, those stories plus many more. You're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around!"  
-----  
Thanks for reading!!! It's been fun!


End file.
